Electric switch.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905. J. A. WRIGHT 6: W. F. O'NEILL.

ELECTRIC SWITGH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19, 1904.

' l fimfm minesses I Inventors 4 a g f-ECQ'M PATENTED MAY 9, 1905. J A. WEIGHT 8; W. F, ONBILL.

ELECTRIC SWI'JIGZLx APPLICATION FILED APB-.19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-$111331 2.

i izwsses 2mm ggwa a ltlnirrnn Frames Patented May 9, 1905.

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JOHN A. WRIGHT, OF IRWIN, AND WILLIAM F. ONEILL, OF WlLKINS- BURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRlC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent No. 789,518, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed April 19, 1904.. Serial No. 203,848.

To (all whom, if; may concern:

Be it known that we, JouN A. W RIGHT, of l rwin, \Vestmoreland county, and \VILLI'AM F. ONEILL, of W .ilkinsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has particular reference to switches for high-voltage currents; and the primary object is to improve, simplify, and render more ei'licient that type of switch having an auxiliary break for preventing the formation of an are between the switch-blade and the terminal contact at the time of their separation in the operation of breaking the circuit of which they form a part.

A further object is to so construct the switch of either single or double throw design that the auxiliary break attachment may be omitted without im 'iairing its operation as an ordinary switch and without changing its appearance, the attachment being inclosed by the switch blade or arm and out of view save during the operation of breaking the circuit.

The invention further includes a main or hinged switch-blade of improved design.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide, an e'tlicient terminal contact 01'' simple and improved construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the switch, showing the same partially open in full lines and fully open in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is atop plan view partly in section, and Fig. 4 is a side view, the switch being shown closed in both views. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view, and Fig. 8 a top plan view, illustrating our invention applied to a double-throw switch. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the double-throw blade and contact. Fig. 10 is a view of the blade-blanks. Figs.

11, 12, and 13 are detail views of our improved contact.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the insulated base, and 3 and 4 are the terminal contacts. each having the separable blade-engaging lips 5.

Each of the blades or arms 6 is formed of a blank, of copper plate, so bent as to have the llat parallel laterally-springing side members 7, which embrace contacts 3 and 4c and which are united at the top by the rounded or tubelike portion 8. The latter has an extension 9 at the front end fitting a depression in the liber cross-bar 10 and is threaded internally to receive the bar-securing screw 11.

12 is the handle.

Extension 5) is preferably square or angular to hold bar 10 from turning thereon. The rear portion of round 8 is cut away at S to effect a saving of metal and to add to the appearance, and at said end side members 7 cmbrace and are secured to terminal contact 3 by hinge-bolt 13, a filling-plate or washer 14: being arranged between the contactlips 5 to prevent contraction of sides 7 and to insure an effective contact.

15 is the auxiliaryblade,whichis positioned within blade 6, being pivotally secured at its rear end by screw 16, said rear end being formed with head 15 to till the space between sides 7 and make an efiective contact and also to provide a projection for engaging head 17 of rod 18, the latter being embraced by coiled spring 19, which tits and is coniined within the rounded back 8, the forward end of the spring bearingagainst screw 11. This spring operates to hold blade 15 turned upward and entirely within blade 6. The for ward end of blade 6 is formed with extensions 20, which are turned inward and constitute guides between which the free extremity of blade 15 enters for holding itcentered between sides 7. Said blade end is preferably notched at 21, so as'to embrace and be positively engaged by cross-bar 10 when closing the switch.

\Vith the switch closed, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer faces of lips 501 contact 4. are llatly engaged by the inner faces of blade sides 7, while between and similarly engaging adjacent faces of lips 5 is the extremity of auxiliary blade 15, and as the latter is thus tightly held its position is maintained against the pressure of spring 19 as blade 6 is raised in the operation of opening the circuit, as shown in Fig. 1. Blade 15 carries the cur rent until blade 6 has opened a sufficient distance from contacteto prevent the formation of an are, at which time the opening movement of blade 6 operates to withdraw blade 15 and the latter responds to the pressure 1 of spring 19 and snaps back to position within blade 6, thus instantly separating the contact-surfaces a sufficient distanceto prevent arcing. The closing movement forces blade 15 between lips 5 and blade sides? over the outer faces thereof, the top edges of the lips being preferably beveled to prevent interference.

In applying ourimprovements to a doublethrow switch, wherein there is an additional circuit-terminal 4 with which the switchblade may operate, as well as with the single terminal l, the blade is formed of two distinct parallel members 22, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, each of said members having the central longitudinal bulge or rounded portion 23 to form when the two members are brought together a confining-space for spring 19. At opposite sides of this space the blade sides are parallel, as shown at 2%, and in each side is confined an auxiliary blade 15, said blades beingarranged exactly as in the single throw type. Head 17 of spring-rod 18 is double, as shown, to operate on both auxiliaryblade heads 15. Hence the operation of the switch-blades and contacts 4 and at is exactly the same and in either case is identical with i that of the single-throw type above described.

The construction of the switch is such that all of the contact-points have flat squarelyengaging surfaces of ample area, the same being true both when the switch is wholly closed and also when only partially closed by auxiliary blade 15.

As the blanks from which the single and double throw blades are formed are of substantially the same width, they may be conveniently stamped at the same time and with a saving of metal, as hinge end 22' of blade 22 forms cut-out portion 8 of blade 6, as shown in Fig. 10.

Each of the contacts includes a base-block 25, adapted to be secured to switch-base 2 in the usual manner and preferablyformed with a reduced extension 25 to receive the terminal binding sockets, as shown. The main portion of each block 25 is drilled longitudinally at 26 and slotted through the top face at 27 to receive the enlarged inner end of the terminal contact, which tightly fits the same, thus dispensing with solder or other securing means. As here shown, the contact-lips 5 are formed of a single piece of copper plate doubled upon itself, with the doubled end enlarged to lit recess 26 and also to form air-circulating eye or passage 28. In doubling the con tact-blank upon itself to form eye 28 the inner faces of the blank are brought together at the outer side of the eye, thus completely closing the latter. At this point the contact lips emerge from slot 27, the width of the latter corresponding to the double thickness of the blank, as clearly shown. \Vith this construction the opposite edges of slot 27 maintain a lirm hold or grip on the contact and keep the faces of eye 28 and recess 26 in permanent and unyielding engagement. A perfect contact is thus assured throughout the whole length of eye 28 and it is impossible for the contact to move from position for engagement by the blades. If eye 28 were not entirely closed or if slot 27 were wider than the double thickness of the blank, the contact would tend to work loose, eye 28 in such case serving as a rocker upon which the contact would turn, thus impairing the perfect engagement of the surfaces of the eye and recess 26, as well as the position of the contact with relation to the switch-blades The means here shown for securing the single-piece double contact is simple, efficient, and permanent, and it is quite impossible for the same to work loose or become displaced. lVith the eye 28 open from end to end provision is had for afree circulation of air, thus precluding danger of the contact becoming destructively overheated.

In the form of contact shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the lips 5 are normally sprung apart to receive the auxiliary blade and air may circulate unobstruetedl y therebetween. In some uses the lips may bear flatly against each other, and in such case grooves 5" on their inner faces, formed by transverse bulges 5, provide for the circulation of air and prevent overheating. The bulges form stops for the contact-embracing switch-blades.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in switches having one pole or blade or more than one, as may be required.

We do not confine ourselves to the exact structural details. herein shown and described, as obviously they may be changed or varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lVe claim 1. The combination of a hinged blade having parallel sides, a pivoted auxiliary blade therebetween, said blade sides being bulged laterally above the auxiliary blade to form a spring-confining space, a spring therein operating to hold the auxiliary blade normally within the hinged blade, and a terminal contact constructed and arranged to engage and hold the auxiliary blade until the hinged blade has been opened.

2. The combination of a switch-blade constructed with two side members and a bulged top portion, an auxiliary blade operatively mounted between said side members and adapted to project downward therefrom, and a spring within said bulged portion of the blade operating to hold the auxiliary blade normally confined between said blade side members.

3. A blade for switches having side members turned inward at one end to form a guide, and a pivoted auxiliary blade between said sides and adapted to be held. centered by said guide.

A. The combination of a hinged or swinging comlnctor-blade having side members adapted to spring laterally, a pivoted auxiliary blade therebetween, a spring confined in the hinged blade for holding the auxiliary blade normally retracted, a contact having members adapted to be embraced by the said blade sides and receive and confine therebetweeu the free end of the auxiliary blade until withdrawn by the opening movement of the hinged blade.

A blade for an electric switch formed With longitudinal side members which are integral at one edge, the blade being formed at one end with a tubular extension in line with said edge for attaching to an operating member.

6. A blade for switches formed at one end with the one-piece tubular extension angular in cross-section, and an operating member having an angular depression complementary with said angular tubular extension for receiving the latter.

7. A contact-base formed with a recess, and a contact-terminal secured in said recess and formed with an air-circulating passage at the lower extremity of the contact.

8. A contactbase formed with an in wardl yenlarged top recess open through the base edges, and a terminal contact enlarged at its inner end to fit the recess and formed with an air-circulating passage through said enlargement.

9. A contact-base formed with an inwardlyenlarged top recess open through the opposite base edges, and a double terminal contact formed of a single piece of metal doubled and enlarged at its inner end to fit said recess and open at its lower doubled extremity to form an air-circulating passage.

10. A double contact-terminal having transverse grooves in adjacent faces of the contact members to form an air-passage.

11. A double contact-terminal having its members bulged outward to form an air-circulating passage therebetween and to form stops on the outer faces thereof.

12. A base having an inwardly-enlarged dcpression opening through a face of the base, and a contact enlarged at one end to tightly lit the depression and having an air-circulating passage in said enlarged end, the area of the opening through the surface of the base corresponding to the solid cross-sectional area of the portion of the contact extending therethrough.

13. A base having an inwardly-enlarged depression opening through a face thereof, a contact formed at its lower end with a laterally-closed eye adapted to tightly fit the enlarged recess, the eye being open longitudinally for the circulation of air, and the area of the surface-opening of the base corresponding to the solid cross-sectional area of the part of the contact extending therethrougl'i.

1e. A base formed with a recess and with a relatively narrow slot opening into the recess and through a face of the base, a contact doubled upon itself and enlarged at its inner end to form an eye which tightly fits the baserecess, the opposite sides of the contact being brought together to completely close the eye, the two thicknesses of the contact thus formed adjacent the eye corresponding to the width of the base-slot and extending therethrough, the eye being open from end to end for the circulation of air.

In testimony whereof we have afiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. WVRIGHT. NM. F. ONEILL. Witnesses:

JOS. Axum, \Vu. Gamma. 

